Series of lectures and text on obligatory knowledge for a Muslim.
Please see comments section for further parts.

This blog will have links to Google drive for various books and articles.
1) The Book of Ritual Purity, The Book of Prayer, and the Book of Funeral Rites
By   Imam al-Mutawakkil ‗ala Allah Ahmed bin Sulaymān  
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-J6TJqfxU2QeW2Pqef-O-xSsOIn1a9QU/view 
2) Book of purity and Prayer Amali Ahmed bin Isa
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-FufomRp75-UI812N9Ql7q7oUvMrgnHg/view?usp=drivesdk
3) Musnad Zaid 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-JHURAyyzB4vIAeB4FIzYBRkl0NG6r8N/view?usp=drivesdk
4) Musnad Ali Riddah
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-_D3WbAfefnBY-trWRmuK-xN-5A7VKTM/view?usp=drivesdk

Taken from.Imam Rassi society
The Zaydis have a set criteria in accepting or rejecting hadîths and narrated statements:
1. Contradicting the Qur’ân—The Zaydis wholly reject any narrated report that clearly contradicts the Book of Allah. This is because the Qur’ân itself says: {Falsehood cannot approach it from the front and from behind. It is revealed by One All-Wise and Praiseworthy} (Q. 41:42). Also, there is a reported hadîth in which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((I will be lied upon just as the prophets before me. Whatever comes to you on my authority, place it against the Book of Allah. If it agrees with it, it is from me and I said it; if not, it is not from me and I didn’t say it)). For this reason, our imams and scholars reject reports that clearly counter the Qur’ân.
2. Collective-transmitted reports (tawâtur)—These reports are those that have been reported by a large 
number of different narrators insomuch that there can be no doubt regarding its authenticity. This is the 
reason why many of the early imams of Ahl al-Bayt related hadîths without relating their chains of narration. This is because these narrations have been mass-transmitted by all Muslims in such large numbers that their authenticity is established.

3. The acceptance of the imams—With this principle, a hadîth is accepted if the imams of Ahl al-Bayt 
agree upon its authenticity. Imam al-Manŝūr Billah al-Qâsim bin Muhammad, upon him be peace, said:
“We do not know of any truthful hadîth on his [i.e. the Prophet’s] authority except that it is collectively transmitted, mutually agreed upon by the imams, and/or agrees with the Book of Allah. Otherwise, we can not guarantee if it is a lie upon the Messenger of Allah—whether deliberate or mistakenly.”

4. Preference for the narrations of Ahl al-Bayt—Those reports that are narrated by Ahl al-Bayt are given preference over those narrated by other than them. This is because of their elevated status in the Qur’ân [e.g. the Verse of Purification Q. 33:33] and the Prophetic hadîths [e.g. the Hadîth of Two Weighty Things].

5. Those mursal narrations of the imams—A mursal narration is a report whose chain does not go to the 
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, through a Companion; rather, it reaches a 
sub-narrator who ascribes it to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. The majority of jurists accept mursal traditions as authentic. The mursal traditions on the authority of an imam are considered authentic by the Zaydis because one of the necessary attributes of an imam is uprightness (‘adl). Therefore, any hadîth the imam narrates is considered authentic, even if a Companion is missing.

6. The chain of narrators should be free of criticism and the text should be free from impossibilities—Those narrators in the chain must be free from valid criticism and the text of the report must be consistent, non-contradictory, or free from things like anachronisms.
7. Reliability of the narrator—The narrator must be upright and not guilty of open disobedience and major sins.
8. Those reports of the opponents that the Zaydis use as a proof—The Zaydis also consider the reports of the opponents which agree with their doctrines. For example, Imam Ahmed bin Sulaymân, upon him be peace, compiled a book of hadîths called Usūl al-Ahkâm in which he narrated numerous hadîths of their opponents that he used as a proof for Zaydi jurisprudence.
9. Enemies of Ahl al-Bayt—Those narrators who showed enmity and hatred towards the Ahl al-Bayt in their lifetimes and afterwards are not considered reliable narrators—even if they were amongst the Companions.For example, the narrations on the authority of Companions like Wâ’il bin Hujr, Jarîr bin ‘Abdullah, and Marwan bin Hakam are not considered reliable.
And Allah knows best!

Imam al-Hādi ila al-Haqq, Abul-Hussein Yahya
bin al-Hussein bin al-Qāsim bin Ibrāhīm bin Ismā’īl bin Ibrāhīm bin al-Hassan bin
al-Hassan bin Ali bin Abi Ťālib, upon them be peace. As we can readily notice from
his lineage, he was a Hassani sayyid.
Also, on his mother side, he was a Descendant of the Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him and his progeny. His mother was Umm al-Hassan bint alHassan bin Muhammad bin Sulaymān bin Dawūd bin al-Hassan bin al-Hassan bin
Fātima bint Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny.
He was born in Medina in the year 245 AH/860 CE. His mother was
pregnant with him during the lifetime of his illustrious grandfather, Imam al-Qāsim
bin Ibrāhīm ar-Rassi, upon him be peace. She delivered the child in Imam ar-Rassi’s
dwellings, and the imam—acting upon the Prophetic Sunnah—recited the call to
prayer in his grandson’s ears and supplicated for him.
Imam al-Qāsim then asked his son al-Hussein what he will name the child.
When al-Hussein responded by saying “Yahya,” Imam ar-Rassi, upon him be peace,
is recorded to have then said: “By Allah, he will be the Master (Sāhib) of Yemen!”
This prophecy came true when Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, migrated to
Yemen and became its Imam. Imam ar-Rassi, upon him be peace, would not live
long enough to see his grandson fulfill this prophecy because he only lived one year
after the birth of Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace.
Although little is known of his childhood, Imam al-Hādi followed a
rigorous system of education—an education befitting of a Descendant of the Prophet
who was to attain the Imamate. Also, judging from the scholastic output of his
forbears, especially Imam ar-Rassi, the young al-Hādi was inundated with study of
the various sciences associated with theology, jurisprudence, Qur’ānic exegesis,
philosophy, logic, language, etc.
His upbringing in Medina especially made him susceptible to the various
trends and areas of knowledge. Medina was the hub of the Muslim empire and one of
the centres of Islamic learning. Although, the political capital of the Muslim Empire
was in Iraq, Medina still held a high place of esteem and scholarly ambition. It is the
City of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, and the home
of one of the most sacred mosques in the world. It was a garrison town that hosted
Muslims from all over the Muslim world and served as a headquarters for those
serious about the study of divine knowledge. That withstanding, there was a vibrant
trend in Medina that enabled the young Yahya to pursue his studies at the highest
levels.
His son, Imam Muhammad, upon him be peace, narrated that his father
completed and mastered the sciences of divine knowledge at the age of 17. One can
readily see the depths of his knowledge when one looks at the books that he
authored. We will take a brief look at some of the areas of knowledge that he
mastered utilizing his works.
Imam al-Hādi: The Linguist
Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, was a man of letters who demonstrated
knowledge of the various sciences of the Arabic language in his works. His Qur’ānic
exegeses and responsa literature demonstrated his knowledge of word derivation and
extraction. For example, in one of his replies to a question regarding the meaning of
the verse: {“If Allah desires, He could leave you astray. He is your Lord…”} (Q.
11:34), he demonstrated that the phrase {leave you astray (yughwiyakum)} is derived
from the word “to punish” (ghayya). Therefore, the leaving astray of a person is said
to refer to Allah’s punishment or chastisement.
Another instance of his mastery of the Arabic language is his use of metered
prose. In this, he followed the example of his grandfather, Imam ar-Rassi, upon him
be peace, who oftentimes wrote his treatises in poetry form. One example of Imam
al-Hādi, upon him be peace, writing in prose is his Jawāb li Ahl as-Sanā`, where he
addresses the theological concerns of the people of Yemen using rhythmic poetry.
Imam al-Hādi: The Exegete (Mufassir)
Although there are two books of Qur’ānic exegesis (Kitāb at-Tafsīr and
Ma’āni al-Qur’ān) authored by Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, these books no
longer exist. However, there are some extant works where Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, 
engaged in Qur’ānic exegesis.
For example, in one of his replies, he has many sections that begin with the
title “The Meaning of the Exalted’s statement…” In these sections, he interpreted
seemingly difficult Qur’ānic passages.
He also authored several works in which he, upon him be peace, sought to
interpret the meaning of “Celestial Chair” (al-Kursi) and “Divine Throne” (al-‘Arsh)
in verses, such as {His Celestial Chair extends over the heavens and the earth} (Q.
2:255) and {The Most Gracious is established on the Throne} (Q. 20:5). The
majority of Muslims have agreed to retain the literal import of these verses and
discouraged interpretation; yet, Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, did not hesitate to
apply a figurative meaning to both terms.
Imam al-Hādi: The Hadīth Scholar (Muhaddith)
Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, compiled hadīths in works such as Kitāb
al-Ahkām fil-Halāl wal-Harām. His methodology towards the hadīths was simply to
relate those narrations on the authority of his ancestors. For example, he may relate a
hadīth with the following chain:
My father related to me on the authority of his father —his
grandfather—his ancestors, upon them be peace—the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, who
said: ((Friendship is security and separation is a bad omen)).
There are also instances where he related a hadīth with a chain containing
narrators other than his ancestors. For example, in the same Kitāb al-Ahkām, he
related the following hadīth:
My father related to me on the authority of his father —his
grandfather—Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Uwais al-Madini—Hussein bin
‘Abdullah bin Damīra—his father—his grandfather—’Ali bin Abi
Ťālib said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon
him and his progeny, said: ((There’s no marriage except with a
guardian and two witnesses)).
Although, this chain contains some of his ancestors, it also contains narrators other
than them.
In addition to relating Prophetic hadīths, Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace,
also related the statements of the imams of Ahl al-Bayt, upon them be peace. He
related the statements of Imam ‘Ali, Imam al-Hassan, Imam al-Hussein, Imam Zayd,
and even his grandfather, Imam ar-Rassi, upon them be peace. However, in most
cases, Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, did not relate the chain of narrators when
he reported hadīths.
By the time Imam al-Hādi was born, the sciences of hadīth had been
developed. Indeed, He lived in a generation after the likes of Imam Ahmed bin
Hanbal, Imam al-Bukhāri, and Imam Muslim. Hadīth and its sciences were
widespread before Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, was born because Imam alBukhāri died in 256 AH and Imam Muslim died in 268 AH. Their compilations of
hadīths were available during the lifetime of Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace.
Since that is the case, a common question is “Why didn’t Imam al-Hādi,
upon him be peace, utilize the various sciences of hadīth developed by scholars like
Imams al-Bukhāri and Muslim?” As we mentioned, he rarely narrated reports with a
chain of narrators between him and the Prophet, like al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and others.
Modern critics of Imam al-Hādi and his school have also asked this question and
criticized his rulings based upon this.
It cannot be said that he was ignorant of such sciences because he lived in
Medina and studied many of the sciences related to the religion—hadīth being one of
them. The importance placed upon listing the chain of narrators (sanad), was
something current before and during the life of Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace.
Indeed, in his book Al-Muntakhab, he narrated hadīths from the texts of scholars like
’Abdur-Razāq and Imam Mālik bin Anas with complete chains.
We reply by saying that in most cases, his narrations are generally without a
complete chain of narrators because he cited well-known hadīths and refrained from
relating the chains because of their notoriety. For example, in his Kitāb al-Ahkām, hecommonly said: “It has reached us on the authority of the Messenger of Allah, peace
and blessings be upon him and his progeny…” without relating a complete chain.
He mentioned his own methodology when relating hadīth in Al-Muntakhab:
Verily we have only compiled, in this chapter, those reports with
authentic narrations from the narrators of the Generality so as to
prove to them with evidence. That way, we can overcome them by
using narrations deemed reliable by them.
More than likely, he figured that those who wanted to identify and verify
the chains could refer to the already extant books of hadīth. This is why he never
authored a compilation of hadīths. Also, the books in which he related the most
hadīths are books of jurisprudence, not books of hadīth. He sought to justify his
positions by these narrations, not justify the authenticity of these narrations.
Even in his texts concerning theology, history, or the imamate, he stated
that the narrations he cited could be found in the books of the Generality. For
example, in this text Uŝūl ad-Dīn, he said:
The community agrees that the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((Al-Hassan and alHussein are the masters of the youths of Paradise, and their father
is greater than them)).
He acknowledged the existence of such narration in the texts of the general body of
Muslims. That withstanding, there would be no need to relate a complete chain of
narrators.
Imam al-Hādi: The Jurist
He became an accomplished jurist during his time and the “Hadawi School”
was named after him. His jurisprudential rulings are available in his books: AlMuntakhab and Kitāb al-Ahkām. He also addressed many issues of jurisprudence in
his letters to individual provinces and people. However, the basis of his
jurisprudence is in the two aforementioned books which are called the “Two
Collections” (al-Jāmi’ayn).
He utilized the first two of the existing methodologies to derive rulings (e.g.
the Qur’ān and Sunnah); however, he differed with many of the jurists of his time in
the third source of jurisprudential derivation. As this third legal source, Imam al
Hādi, upon him be peace, utilized the statements and consensus of the Progeny of
Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. According to him,
their individual and collective statements and actions were a firm proof for the
Prophetic Sunnah. Similar to the Sunnite jurist, Imam Mālik bin Anas, who
contextualized the first two legal sources using the actions of the people of Medina
(amal al-Madīna), Imam al-Hādi based the understanding of the Qur’ān and Sunnah
upon the individual and collective opinions of the imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, upon
them be peace.
In those issues where the imams of the Prophetic Household agreed, their
consensus and collective actions formed a definitive and irrefutable proof. For
example, Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, narrated:
Regarding wiping over the leather socks (al-khuffayn), slippers,
leggings, a head-scarf, a turban, and a cap, the consensus of the
Progeny of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him
and his progeny, is that it is not permissible to wipe over any of
those things.
However, in those issues where the Descendants disagreed, there was room for one
to choose an opinion out of their rulings.
Imam al-Hādi: The Mystic
Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, as evident from his writings, was also
adept in the area of Islamic spirituality. Although he did not author texts specifically
dedicated to the spiritual path like his grandfather, al-Hādi nevertheless attained a
semblance of spiritual mastery. For example, his biographers reported regarding his
scrupulousness:
One day, [Imam al-Hādi] entered after having purified himself for
the prayer [by making ablution]. He took a rag and washed his face with it. He then said: “To Allah we are from and to Allah we will
return! This rag is from the tithe [donated to give to the poor]!”
When I mentioned it, he said: “It is not even lawful for us to wipe
our faces with it or shade ourselves from the sun with it!”
Imam al-Hādi’s scrupulousness and spiritual awareness didn’t even allow him to dry
his face with the scraps of cloth donated to charity!
Among his writings that address the issue of the spiritual path is the last
chapter of his Kitāb al-Ahkām entitled: “The Book of Asceticism (az-zuhd),
Manners, and Other Things Related to the Perfection of Character.” In this chapter,
he addressed topics such as seeking forgiveness, giving in secret, controlling anger,
dreams, and showing off—just to name a few. As evident from this text, Imam alHādi, upon him be peace, perceived the spiritual path in terms of character
reformation and adopting praiseworthy habits.
Although his sense of spirituality would be seen as “sober” compared to the
ecstatic nature of the Sufism prevalent during his time, his success in the Path to
Allah was evident by the miracles attributed to him by his biographers. We will
relate some of them, insha-Allah.
One of them said:
There was my young son with me who couldn’t talk. I sought some
medicine for him, but to no avail. I decided to carry him to Mecca
with me. On the way, a letter from al-Hādi, upon him be peace,
came to me. We took his seal, placed it in water, and gave it to the
boy to drink. All of a sudden, he began to speak clearly! A group
of people witnessed the boy speaking, some of whom knew him
when he couldn’t talk!
Another one of them said:
A man used to hurl insults at the companions of al-Hādi, upon him
be peace, during the day of Mīnās. Al-Hādi supplicated against
him that Allah sever his fingers. The man’s fingers began falling
off until his wrists. He died as a result.
Imam al-Hādi: The Imam
Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, was also recognized as an imam during
his lifetime. This title entailed that he was recognized by his contemporaries as
suitable for leadership based upon certain qualifications stipulated by the Qur’ān and
Sunnah.
He attained the Imamate on 284 AH. Before that time, when the tribes of
Yemen were embroiled in disputes, they wanted someone just and independent to
arbitrate between them. They sent a message to Medina to have a Descendant of the
Prophet, known for his piety and knowledge to come to Yemen and arbitrate.
Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, answered the call and proceeded to
Yemen. As a result of his fairness and knowledge, the people of Yemen collectively
decided to make him their imam—fulfilling the prophecy of his grandfather, Imam
ar-Rassi, upon him be peace. The people pledged allegiance to him on the conditions
that he revive Allah’s religion and the Prophetic Sunnah, fight the enemies of Allah
and the religion, and command the good and prohibit the bad. He assumed this role
and was labeled “the Imam of Yemen.”
His most abundant literary output occurred during his Imamate. This
demonstrates that he was not just a statesman preoccupied with power and rule only;
rather, he was an imam whose primary goal and concern was the protection of the
people’s beliefs and practices. His many letters to provincial governors and
refutation of deviants demonstrate this.
Imam al-Hādi: The Theologian
The role that is the most important to us for this present text is his role as a
theologian. He authored a number of texts on theology, some of which includes:
Kitāb Bāligh al-Mudarik, Kitāb fīhi Ma’rifat Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla, Al-Mustarshid fī
at-Tawhīd, and Uŝūl ad-Dīn—just to name a few.
Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, was a theologian concerned with the
beliefs of those who were his subjects. He approached the subject of theology very
seriously. Indeed, it could be said that in his works, no other topic occupied as muchof his energy as theology. As we previously mentioned, his primary concern as an
imam was the protection of the people’s beliefs and their adherence to the Prophetic
Sunnah as preserved through the Muhammadan Descendants, upon them be peace.
In his theological works, Imam al-Hādi, upon him be peace, addressed
issues such as Divine Oneness (at-Tawhīd) and its dimensions, Divine Justice (al-
‘Adl) and its dimensions, Prophethood and its dimensions, the Imamate of the Ahl alBayt and its dimensions, as well as the affairs of the Hereafter and its dimensions.
Although his approach has been likened to that of the Mu’tazilites, he
nonetheless, formulated some theological concerns utilizing methods unique to him
and not prevalent amongst the Mu’tazilite school. That is not to say that he refrained
from using terminology developed by the Mu’tazilites (e.g. “al-manzila bayna almanzilatayn“).
However, judging from his approach regarding the Imamate of the
Prophetic Descendants, he took a drastic turn from the Mu’tazilites who held to the
Imamate of Abu Bakr.
Imam al-Hādi: The Martyr
During his Imamate in Yemen, he also engaged in military campaigns. His
chief adversaries were the Qarmatians, a deviant sect of Ismā’īli Shi’ites. This group
was so devious that according to historians, they overran the Sacred Mosque in
Mecca and held the Ka’aba for ransom! A group of them led by a false-prophet from
Kūfa named ‘Ali bin al-Fadl, marched towards Yemen. The Imam gathered a force
and led the troops against Ibn al-Fadl.
Al-Hādi, upon him be peace, continued to wage war against this deviant
group until the end of his Imamate. He, upon him be peace, died at the age of 53
from poison at the hands of one of the Qarmatians.

The first month of Islamic calendar (the most 'violent religion' in the eyes of some people) starts with love. Love for the master of martyrs. Love for mothers and motherhood of Karbala. Love for brothers and brotherhood in Karbala. Love for Namaz. Love for the greatest sacrifice for the sake of humanity ever done in the history of mankind. 

It doesn't start with fancy wishes, roses and hearts. It doesn't start with celebrations, singing songs, dancing in happiness. It doesn't start with tours and trips. Neither it starts with any form of celebration in Islamic context nor does it start with anything remotely related to celebration. It starts with the moon sighting and tears. It starts with the slaps on faces and beating of chests. It starts with thirst and imagination of thirst. It starts with unity and imagination of unity. It starts with a sign of muslims reaffirming to their faith and when one reaffirms to something, at that moment he or she follows that with true heart. So, this is the time when faith is at it's peak. It starts with sacrifice and eagerness for sacrifice. It starts with a new season of Islam where the spirits are going to change their levels. If they ignore this time, their faith will degrade. If they utilize these moments their faith will upgrade. The new year of muslims starts with a welcome note to the most crucial and magnificent reality which is truth/Haq. This welcome note is emotional but it's essence is a call to faith. It starts with the Adhaan of Ali Akber (رضي الله عنه) to the call of help (Halmin Nasirin Yan Suruna) by Imam Husayn (عليه السلام). This is the peak of the beauty of Islam.

Muharram starts with the arrival of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) in the desert of Karbala, a hot place near the banks of Euphrates river or one of it's canals. Imam is met by the first group from the Army of Yazeed led by Hur. I would only emphasize on necessary history as each and every point of history is just out of scope. Hur and his men are badly thirsty. Not only they but even their horses. But as I said, Muharram starts with a welcome note. Here is the first welcome note of mercy, love and humanity. Imam Husayn (عليه السلام)  provides them with water (as much as they want to drink). This was a message, a welcome note towards mercy and guidance of Allah to the bewildered. 

Hur kept on noticing this. But as he was an employee of Yazid along with others, He did what he was asked by Ibn Ziyad. He stopped Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) from going to Kufa and removed their camps from the banks of Euphrates and didn't allow them any further access to water. He asked Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) about the objective of going to Kufa. Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) replied that they don't want war and have come for the guidance of the Kufans who have called him. Again, this was the Jihad of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) — Love, mercy and guidance of people towards Allah and Islam — and resisting the tyrants and evil in this way. 

Hur — who caused all the initial trouble and because of whom the children of Husayn (عليه السلام) stayed away from water — found himself guilty. This was the real sword of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) that was struck on Hur and started to show it's impact since he met Imam and kept on growing until it became unbearable on the night before 10th of Muharram (Ashura). Here is a message. As, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has said that the greatest jihad is jihad-un-Nafs (Jihad with the self). The real battle that Hur fought in Karbala was against his own self. He fought against his desires on the night of Ashura. His weapon was the voices of thirsty children in the camp of Husayn (عليه السلام). His weapon was the mercy Imam showed to him. But what was he confronting. Hur was confronting an employee of Yazid in his self. An employee that said that 'somehow Yazid is your Emir and you have to follow his order.' The cancer of neutrality penetrated in his self which said 'What do you have to do with politics. You have a family and friends. Think about them. Stay out of this hassle. You are a soldier of an Army and a commander. Do your duty. Yazid is a drunkard, who cares? Husayn is the son of Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) , but who cares?' All these fearful, short-visioned, selfish and self-centered arguments were surrounding Hur and making him stay on the side of Yazid.

This is a big lesson. Every soldier in the Army of Yazid was facing an enemy like this within their soul. Every human being on earth, more or less, faces this enemy. We might say a thousand words of truth, we might agree with everything right but our ill-self always confronts us with these arguments and stops us from understanding Haq. Hur had enough weapons. He successfully broke this siege and killed his enemy and with purity, humility, recognizing the truth with the eyes of heart went this time towards the rightful leader of the Ummah. He didn't go to Husayn to sympathise the children. He didn't go their to advice Husayn (عليه السلام). He didn't actually go to Husayn (عليه السلام). He travelled towards freedom. From a fake tyrant to the rightful leader. From a payed employee of Yazid to a self-seeking slave of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام). From ignorance and arrogance to awareness and humbleness. Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) accepted him and all people along with him. He himself became the 'leader of mujahids' in my eyes. It's better to call Hur (رضي الله عنه) Imam ul Mujahid (lesder of the Jihadis) because jihad was done by everyone in Karbala, but he provoked others too (atleast thirty people came to the camp of Imam Husayn from the other side). And he had a very less amount of time to decide on his fate. He certainly fought the most fierce battle against his nafs (self). 

Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) was calling and testing. He was testing his companions and calling his enemies. These calls happened in many ways. With speeches and with actions. One of the ways among all these (for me) was even the Adhaan recited by Hazrat Ali Akber (رضي الله عنه) in the morning and everytime when it was the prayer time. Who matched the face of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)? Their were many good voices in Karbala. Many great scholarly people were their.  Each one of them was capable of reciting Adhan. Glittering beautiful faces as well as wonderful voices. So, why only Hazrat Ali Akber (رضي الله عنه)? Because the face of Ali Akber (رضي الله عنه) was like Prophet Muhammed (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). They were so similar that Imam Husayn used to say, "When I want to see my grand father. I see Ali Akber." Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) made Ali Akber's presence a reminder for the enemies that they are not fighting Husayn (عليه السلام) but rather they are fighting the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) himself. Adhan of Ali Akber (رضي الله عنه) was a signal to remind the calls of Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) towards faith. This holds a lesson for us that faith should be above everything. Call of every wali/guide/Imam towards Islam is a call of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)  himself. Imamat is not an inch separate from Prophethood. As said by Dr. Ali Shariati, "Islam without Justice and Imamat is an Islam without Islam". Each and every call to prayer had two indicators. One was the visual indicator. Other was the vocal indicator. Call by the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) towards Salaat. Call towards peace, justice and Islam: 'Hayya Ala Khairil Amal - Come towards the Good'. This was the mission of Husayn (عليه السلام) and the objective of Karbala.

As I acclaimed, the master of martyrs was testing his companions again and again. Checking their faith and strengthening it minute by minute. At more than one moment, Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) asked his companions to leave him. More than once he told them about their fate if they stay with him. More than once, he told the purpose of his journey. Such that each and everyone of them became clear about it. Answers to these statements from the companions were mind blowing. This is what Imam said :
"It is a fact that I am not aware of any companions more faithful and honest than my companions and any relatives more righteous and kind than my relatives. May Allah grant all of you a good reward. I think that the day of our fighting with this army has arrived. I permit all of you to go away. You are free to depart without any restriction and should take advantage of the darkness of night."
I won't go in detail. But he gave them the certificate of Jannah. He even endorsed their piety. He declared them as the best companions. He even told them how to escape. But except a very few, none of them moved. How can they even leave? How can they love life or death or even Jannah with a thought that they left their Imam to get slaughtered in the hands of beasts? Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) was testing them. He was trying to debug even a single confusion in their heart. He was trying to eliminate even the thought of Jannah from their mind so that they only think of sacrifice for Allah. What a spirit! What can we say! Ask yourself what Imam Husayn(عليه السلام) asked to his companions in Karbala each and every time.

Will you leave your Imam while difficulties have surrounded him? Will you leave him if he grants you Jannah? Will you leave him if he himself asks you to leave? What does wisdom say? Ask yourself. Are you so firm in faith that whatever might happen, you are standing behind your Imam (عليه السلام) and doing your duty? Ask yourself. Are you an employee of Allah, who is paid with happiness, security, health and wealth and promise of Jannah so that he can forget his divine duty if all his payments are delivered irrespective of his stances?  Or are you a slave of only Allah and follower of only his leaders and commanders appointed on you such that even if they themselves ask you to leave for your lives, you will not. What if, Allah is asking blood from you? Are you ready? Who can be more free in this world then the companions of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام)? Take a lesson here. Follow Islam irrespective of anything. We get into doubt: Our prayers are not accepted, our desires are not fulfilled, calamities keep on falling on us etc. Is this our vision of life? No. Our only mission and purpose of life is to obey Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى). Stay where he wants us to stay and refrain from something which Allah has asked us to refrain from. Allah will test you to see how much firm you are in following his commandments. 

We see warriors, with all capabilities to break the largest armies in a battle alone, shying and controlling themselves in Karbala. Sayyed ush Shuhada (Imam al Husayn (AS)) stopped Abbas at every step from battling with the enemy. He even brought Hazrat Zaynab (SA) at one point for the same purpose. I won't mention the reason why Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) stopped Hazrat Abbas (رضي الله عنه). But how difficult it would be for a warrior like Abbas (رضي الله عنه) to control himself from attacking the enemy. How difficult it would be to obey the master of Martyrs (عليه السلام) and understand the fate at this moment. More difficult then understanding was accepting. Acceptance and understanding that made Abbas a Saqqa (water carrier) from an Alamdaar (flag-bearer). This was the time when Al Abbas (رضي الله عنه) became the symbol of patience. He changed his being and kept down his sword to obey his mawla and his brother. This proves how critical and crucial weapon is patience and endurance. How important it is to remain patient in order to sustain yourself on the path of Allah. The will of Allah can be for us or against us. We should put our heads down in front of Allah's will.  Ghazi Abbas (رضي الله عنه) teaches us how to contemplate on what Allah wants from us and then not only refraining from our own will but submitting to Allah's will in the best of ways. How he managed to take a broken spear on the battle ground while he had a sword with him? How he managed to only try to bring water to the camps and not breaking the other enemy fronts? How he managed to protect the water and gave his hands in doing so? What patience a person needs to refrain from drinking a drop of water even after his lips are dry and throat dying from thirst. This patience led Al Abbas (رضي الله عنه) to become the symbol of loyalty (Sarkaar-e-Wafa) in the history of mankind. Hazrat Abbas (رضي الله عنه) was not even an infallible but still he made himself so strong that whatever his brother and leader demanded from him he delivered. Only one thing that remained was water. Which led Abbas to such a level of regret and emotion that he denied his body to be taken to the camps. If we can't learn patience, perseverence, submission and loyalty from Hazrat Abbas (رضي الله عنه). This history is useless and just as important as a novel.

Karbala startles us at every step. Their was even a child as young as 6 months. When Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) called for help, no one was their to answer except a 6 months old Ali al Asghar (رضي الله عنه). He fell on ground after this call. He was taken to ask for water by Imam Husayn (عليه السلام). Imam knew that he will be martyred. But another reality of Karbala is a father taking his own son to sacrifice for Allah and become an example in history. Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) never needed help so what was the reason of this call? It was nothing but a reminder to everyone. Imam (عليه السلام) warned humanity that 'don't let a time come upon your leader when no one will accompany or support him'. Imam was calling people to Islam, to guidance. But only a 6 months old could understand. It is a call that echoes in our ears every year to move towards Karbala and to move towards religion and guidance. Not only Ali al Asgher answered but his mother answered it. All the woman answered it. Bibi Umm Rabab (SA) became a symbol of motherhood in Karbala. This is how a mother should be. Woman should teach their children to become the pure and free servant of Allah because this is the greatest honor and they should be so strong and firm that if Allah asks them their dearest sons for sacrifice, they should deliver and content themselves with patience and thankfulness towards Allah. If mothers become like mothers of Karbala, every child will become a servant of Allah and fighter of Islam which would pave the way towards an ideal Islamic society. 

At the end, before his sorrowful martyrdom, Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) addressed the faithless and inhumane army of Yazid. He introduced himself not as a warrior but as a divinely appointed Imam, who has got the highest honors in the eyes of Allah. He was introducing himself like this in order to guide them so that they refrain from what they are about to do and understand the path of Allah. So that they understand that what all rewards they will recieve after this act will be nothing in comparison to what they will loose. Their was a lot of wisdom and beauty in each word but cursed were those who were blinded by the pleasures of this world. 

Imam said: "Even if you don't believe in religion, atleast be free in this world." Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) wanted people to become free from everything, even their soul and then choose according to reason because truth cannot be imposed. It is not necessary to deceive someone to follow the truth. If we remove all the veils of falsehood, evil and deception, the only thing left will be truth. Freedom is not to remove your hijab or even wear it to make people admire you. Freedom is not to pray because your parents will kick you or Allah will send you to hell. Choose religion not because you are born in such a family but because you are a human being and Allah has given you the right to think, contemplate and ask the best for yourself independent of anything. Choose anything in life on the basis of free will that only submits to Allah (the absolute). This is the perception Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) wanted us to work upon. Karbala if followed and read in a right way should change a person.  If it doesn't then the message is not delivered. It was a battle between free will and imposed will. Battle between freedom seeking revolutionaries and employees of evil. A battle between 'I stand with Husayn and condemn Yazid and I know what I'm doing' vs 'Husayn is good and Yazid is bad but we are employees of Yazid so do the duty.' It shows that evil is everything except truth and not even the companions of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) are immune from it. Even taking neutral grounds is a sign of ignorance and part of evil. 

This takes us to the Zaynabi revolution. The start of the new year. The pledge and commitment to change our 'self'. The pledge to fight the evil within us to a level that only Allah's manifestation remains. Azadaari (mourning for Imam Husayn (AS)) is resistance. It is not a mere custom in which some people come, cry, beat their chests and go away as if nothing happened. It is not a majlis that starts with lamentation and comes to end with gheebah (backbiting). It is not a show-off place where you show the standards of food you serve in the form of tabarruk. It is not a place to compete that who will gather the maximum audience and who will provide the best in tabarruk. Neither it is about how many slogans of 'Yaa Ali' will be raised or how many people will faint during Masaaib (sorrowful happenings in Karbala). Tears are natural and not man-made. Only that person can cry on Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) who has the maarefat (wisdom) of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام). The people who do all that I said above except azadaari are making fun of Hazrat Zainab (عليه السلام) and her revolution. They are equivalent to those Kufans and Syrians who mocked and taunted the Ahl Haram when they were taken captive and dragged in the streets of Kufa and Damascus. Shame on such people and shame on the show-off they do in the name of Mourning. Shame on those who do politics in the name of azadari. Shame on those reciters and orators who do business in the name of Azadaari. This is the worst of insults that AhlulBayt (عليه السلام) have to bear. We sell our souls so cheap that we fight on some bits of food that we recieve after majlis. We are making a joke of ourselves and also a joke of our religion and our Imam. Azadaari is a custom of purity started by the Great Sister of Al Husayn (عليه السلام) and Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) as a form of resistance to tyranny and cruelity. A person who is a true azadaar of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) and has percieved his revolutionary message will not sit down until he purifies himself and brings society towards Islam. He will not settle unless he becomes a pain in the gut for the tyrannic rulers. Who is the real mourner of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام)? The one who brought down the forts of oppressors and stood for the oppressed. As an example, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah is the true mourner. His army are the true mourners of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام). It is not possible that a mourner beats his chest, cries on Imam of the oppressed but remains quiet in supporting 'The Husayn' of this time. It is impossible for a mourner of Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) to curse Yazid while stay quiet on the crimes committed by 'The Yazid' of the time or be supportive of it. Azadaari is not a dead custom and Imam Husayn (عليه السلام) is not a dead hero. It is indeed a living revolution that flows in our body and pumps through our hearts in the form of martyrs of Karbala and becomes manifest when we stand for justice and haq in the present time. 
Our duty is to take the message of Husayn (عليه السلام) and implement it on our own lives. Our duty is to be kind, humble, firm, down-to-earth, tough in front of the world, soft in front of Allah. Our duty is to put up sacrifices in the path of Allah whenever needed. Our duty is to unite and set aside our differences. We should unite under the banner of Allah the great. This is what Azadaari teaches us. This is what Karbala teaches us. When only a few people who stood as one in front of the most powerful enemy of the time and defeated him, why can't we? When people celebrate new year, they take pledges. We have the most appealing history remembered just on the start of the year. We should also take a pledge.
Commit yourself: you will practice taqwa, pray on time, practice patience and base your life on knowledge and faith.

Alone, in the dark, a young girl is weeping,
Not knowing what her heart has always been seeking,
So, now, to her Lord, she is finally speaking,
Revealing the secrets she thought she'd been keeping.
 
 
Her Lord listens to her with indescribable love,
He watches her raise her weak hands, above.
 
 
"My Lord, I beg you to enter my heart,
To you, all my sorrows, I wish to impart,
This emptiness, I can bear it no more,
I feel I am drowning and you are my shore."
 
 
She buries her wet face in the palms of her hands,
For she knows that He, alone, understands,
But she wonders if she is worthy of His mercy, so great,
She wonders if forgiveness and love are her fate.
 
 
"My Lord, I have neglected my soul,
I never gave heed to my purpose or goal,
And now, I need You to set my soul right,
I have no-one but You in the midst of this night."
 
 
Tears flow from her eyes like a thunderous river,
As she awaits the reply from this Generous Giver,
But He waits and He watches as she continues to cry,
So she calls desperately into the night sky,
 
 
"My Lord, You are everything I need,
Of any happiness, You are the seed,
I yearn for You to make my heart whole,
To take Your place, this world previously stole."
 
 
With nothing more to give, the girl gets to her feet,
As longing for her Lord fills her every heartbeat.
She raises her hands, one final time,
Her soul weighed down by her forgetful crime.
 
 
"My Lord, You are my only, last hope,
Without you, I know, I won't be able to cope,
To feel Your presence, my soul, I can sell,
All I want is that in my heart, You dwell.
 
 
My Lord, I want You to open my soul's eyes,
And to put an end to my grievous cries,
You said that Your friends feel no sorrow, nor pain,
So befriend me, God, let this night not pass in vain."
 
 
As she tires from this begging, her eyes slowly close,
And she feels that her yearning, now surely, He knows,
Her Lord looks lovingly at the slumbering youth,
And knows that her words carried nothing but truth.
 
 
So He enters her soul and whispers some words,
Sweeter than the chirping of awakening birds,
 
 
"...Call upon me; I will answer you," (40: 60)
And more than this, what else could be true?

For his sake, there are angels following one another, before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's commandment, surely Allah doesn't change the condition of the people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides him they have no protector.
—[Ar-R'ad verse 11]
This verse in the holy Qur'an states that Allah is the protector of human beings and he has commanded angels to protect us. No one else is protecting human beings. Even if someone says that I will protect you, I will defend you then he can only do so by the consent of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). So, no one has any authority to protect a person and the command belongs only to Allah. 
But it doesn't mean that everything what you do, Allah will protect you. It doesn't mean that a human being cannot do anything about his destiny and in his defence. Here this topic becomes complex. 
If Allah is protecting us through angels and he is our lord, the greatest, the mighty; that doesn't mean Allah is handling all our affairs and we are free to sleep in a corner, and all will be in place automatically by the command of Allah. Allah has given us two hands, two legs, a brain, a face and (the most important) a self (soul) that he has perfected for us. 
"Wa Nafsinw Wamaa Sawwahaa"
"And the soul and him who made it perfect"  [Surah Ash Shams 91:7]
Now, we have to make use of all this. Isn't it enough to live a good life or to identify the Truth? Isn't it enough to forbid evil and practice good?
True that Allah is our protector and Allah is our guide and no one is guided except the one guided by Allah. True that, all are poor and paupers except the one who is provided by Allah. As it is said by Maula Ali (عليه السلام) in his Munajaat: 
"Mawlaya Ya Mawlaya, Antal ghaniyu wa Anal Faqeer wa hal yarhamul faqeera illal ghani"
"My Lord, O my Lord, you are the rich and I am a pauper and who is merciful to a pauper except the rich."
So,  does that mean we should stop planning, stop working and just ask Allah and move ahead. Does that mean we should accept what our vibes say and make decisions instead of making decisions through logic and reason and far-sightedness? No. Why would Allah grant us with the gift of different elements of the body if we have to close them off and just go with the flow. 
Imam Ali (عليه السلام) says in Nahj ul Balagha:
"All the illnesses and defects are in the soul itself and the cure to all our problems is also present in our 'self' only."
Also, "The one who identifies his self (soul) has identified his lord." — Imam Ali (عليه السلام) 
So, all this talk that 'All is written and we can't do anything and that which has to happen will happen etc' are not completely true. To say rightly, these are fake spiritual talks. As, Imam Ali (عليه السلام) clearly says that All is clearly within us. What are we searching for? What else do we need? 
Now, arises the question of fate. If all what I said is true then what about fate? I am not a denier of fate. I agree that it exists. Existence of fate cannot be denied but it is not the ultimate reality. Our fate is in our own hands. 
We can change it through our actions, supplications, good and bad deeds. When Allah sees what we are doing and how we are living and behaving, Allah changes it accordingly. My statement is an opinion but it can be easily verified through Qur'an, Hadith and also the views of Arifeen.
Don't sit idle and don't think you are divine and you will hear a voice from unseen. Act according to your state and stay patient for the rewards. If you fail try again instead of saying that, "It is my fate. what can I do?" How do you know it is your fate!
Imam Ali (عليه السلام) says, "A wise man is the one who thinks before he speaks whereas a fool is the one who speaks before he thinks." So, this is simply foolish to say that you failed or lost because Allah has destined that for you. You get what you sow. A person's actions, his quest for something is itself a tool to change his fate and destiny. And that is what the verse I stated above says. Definitely, Allah is our protector but:  '...Allah doesn't change the condition of the people until they change their own condition....'  [Part of the verse stated in the start]. This clearly means that Allah is protecting us but Allah has made us incharge of our own affairs and it's only we who can change our own condition. Accepting the destiny is wise if we know our destiny. But who knows his destiny except Allah, The Great, The All Knowing. 
Instead of getting into this querrel of fate, human being should try to focus upon action. As Ayatullah Taqi Behjat (May Allah be pleased with him) says: "May God give us the tawfeeq to perform our duties, that we don't be deprived of [performing] actions, not from within ourselves, neither from outside of us." Performing actions doesn't mean denying fate or denying the authority of Allah. Rather, it means accepting the blessings and opportunities provided by Allah, exploring them and exhausting them in the best way possible. We should understand that when we pray, Allah wants that we would ask him about something huge which a person is really deprived off and feels it as his necessity. Rather than asking that which Allah has already provided. Besides asking from Allah we should pray that "May Allah give us the tawfeeq to see what Allah has already blessed us with." We should explore within ourselves. 
"You presume that you are a small entity, but within you presides an entire Universe."
The verse I started with is an excuse to explain this relationship between fate and action. Aim is not to discuss the correct interpretation of the verse itself but just a part of it. My aim is also not to do a detailed discussion on fate and action but rather to only address the confusion between the two things. Normally, we notice in our society that this discussion is quite prevalent. Like many big conflicts in the world, the conflict of fate and action also ends up into two extreme parties. One (which I might call a pretend-saint) that says Fate is everything and nothing is in our hands. Whereas other which denies every role of fate and destiny completely and declares actions to be the only basis of different events occurring in life. While both have their reasons, both are wrong. This conflict is important to be addressed because it has a psychological effect. Obviously, a person who thinks that all is written and he is powerless will do nothing. He will sit and keep on denying on the blessings Allah has bestowed him with. He will act like a hopeless lazy person who is deemed to deviate from his path. This notion even if small in quantity is an evil notion and will cause problems in ones life. 
On the other side, the people who deny Fate and destiny. Such people are in true denial of god. This idea that only actions are the player behind what happens in life is also problematic because it cannot answer the many mysteries of life. Who can you blame for a natural disaster? The Japenese people, the Iranians; who are considered to be the most intelligent among the mankind live in those regions of the world where a lot of natural disasters occur. If we say that Japenese suffer because they are infidels then it would be the most lamest answer to the question. What about Iranians? So, actions matter but fate has it's own part. It is their to prove that Allah is the absolute and above everything. It doesn't mean that actions will not bear any fruit. Every action taken will have a reward or punishment but who knows when?
So, let us harmonize this. Let us end the blind beliefs occurring in our society due to the notion that 'Fate is everything and all depends on fate'. As is stated in Surah Al Asr: 
"By the passage of time! Surely humanity is in grave loss, except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance." [103]
So,  it is certainly important to act without thinking about the fate. Removing all these blind beliefs about fate will lead us to passivity. Though, it seems small but in our traditionalist society, this idiocity is a huge problem. It has even entered the mentality of the educated and literate people because naturally it has nothing to do with education. It is because of overthinking and wrong mindsets and understandings about fate and destiny. It is because of ignorance and being illiterate is not a bad thing but being ignorant is equal to infidelity. To clarify, I am not calling anyone infidel but rather calling ignorance as infidelity. 
Let us also tell the arrogant human beings that whatever they might do, the destiny finally belongs to Allah. As is said in the above stated verse, in the last: '...and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides him they have no protector.'
Fate is something that already exists like some fundamental basis of events, while action is something that we build upon our fate. If they are weak, they won't change our fate. If they are strong with a true devotion, they will change our destiny according to their nature. If it is an evil action, our destiny will become worse then what it was. If our action is good, our destiny will become better than what it was. 
"So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it."
[Surah Zalzala 99:7]
"And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it."
[Surah Zalzala 99:8]